The Second of February.

THIS IS HIS COMMANDMENT --- 2 Corinthians 4:6.

"This is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ." --- 1 John 3:23.

"God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." --- 1 John 4:9.

The Father breaks forth, as it were, through the whole Scriptures, in high praises of his Son; he calls out from heaven, "'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him,'" Matthew 7:5.

Nothing, therefore, can be more agreeable to him than to receive this his Son, and to believe his report, John 16:27; and on doing this we shall have life; but by omitting it we look upon him as a liar.

Unbelief, therefore, which refuses to accept of his great gift is, no doubt, the greatest of all sins. O Lord, teach me this, and grant me faith.

Why art thou so backward, O my poor soul, to believe like the rest of God's children, in Christ? Hast thou not as good a right to have it as they have? Who can dispute with thee this privilege? It is the express will of the Father: nay, he even commands thee to do it.

Has he given his only Son, by an act of inconceivable love, to die for thee, to the very end that thou shouldst live? Oh, what a pleasing thing will it be to him, to put thy whole trust upon this his well-beloved Son! This would be the joy of his heart more than anything else; therefore, delay no longer to receive what his love has offered thee, but firmly believe that the Father loves thee as well as the Son.

Author of faith, to thee I lift up
My weary longing eyes;
Oh let me now receive that gift!-
My soul without it dies.